Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher
by badbaby90
Summary: A new DADA Teacher whose beauty passes that of a veela, that works at night, and that sleeps in the morning. Odd...A great story that combines fantasy and horror for all Harry Potter fans.Disclaimer: i don't own anyone in this story except the main char.
1. Agnieska VanKopelhaggend

**Hey, people. This is my first story on this site, hope y'all like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters or names, just the main character of this story, and all that has to do with her.**

**Agnieska VanKopelhaggend:**

**She sat at the fireplace, her jet black hair swaying from the wind, that flew in from the window, cold and strong. She shivered slightly, and got up. She was a dark angel, a devil with a godly smile. Her fine body was wrapped in black robes and as she walked she "floated". She was as light as a feather. She closed the window, afraid of catching a cold, and sat back down, watching the fire absentmindedly. The fire was reflected in her dark, dead eyes. Her phantomlike pale face gave her great beauty.**

**  
She looked at her side. There was an unopened envelope on the small, wooden table. She took it with her long, fine fingers. On it: Agnieska VanKopelhaggend, 13 Espakof Road, Transylvania. She looked at it with amusement in her attracting eyes, then, deciding it might not be a waste of time to open it, ripped the top elegantly with her fingernails, sharp as razor. She tried not to injure herself this time. 50 years ago, when rebirth had been given to her, she would always cut herself. Her "father" would see her at night, when they'd wake up, bleeding and crying for mercy. But she never had mercy. And she probably never will.**

**  
The letter was, as she had imagined, quite amusing. Another letter from those vampire hunters. Oh, they always waste their time trying to catch her. It amused her, how Hide And Seek amused children, but the end was never funny. The vampire hunters always found their death. She's always tried to negotiate, but they never listen. No one ever listens.**

**  
She crumpled the paper and threw it in the fire. She longed to leave this horrible place. The dead are starting to smell horribly. She'd love to move them away from the front door, but after 50 years of death, one gets tired of doing everything himself...**

**  
She decided to leave everything behind, and turn the page, forgetting the past, to start a new life without murder, hoping murder would not find her.**

**There you go! A bit short, but I'll be writing longer chapters a bit later. Reviews please! **


	2. A New Home

**My new chapter, hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter. I only own all that has to do with our vampire!**

**A New Home:**

**The rain pounded on the top of the carriage. It rolled on the muddy ground towards a gigantic castle: Hogwarts. The Thestrals (yes, she can see them) halted slowly at the giant oak doors. She got out and saw an old man with long grey hair and beard. He was dressed oddly in opaline white robes with a matching hat, rimmed with golden oriental designs.  
"Welcome Miss VanKopelhaggend. My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. This is the castle you will soon be living in. Due to your conditions, your post will be delayed until night. I will give you more details when we get to my office."  
Agnieska was amazed by the aura that came from this man. He didn't appear surprised or amazed by her beauty, like the most religious of men. She remembered when she went to a confession. She didn't stay five minutes, afraid of the look in the priest's eyes. He had even tried to...  
"Here we are. Chocolate frogs!" The gargoyle rose and opened the wall behind him. "Please, ladies first." She stepped onto the ascending staircases that halted at the door. A beautiful, golden, Phoenix-head doorknob turned slowly, and she entered the room. It was a spiral room filled with tables topped with silver instruments that clicked beautifully. The walls were covered in portraits of ancient headmasters, sleeping and snoring.  
"Please sit and we will start. Firstly, your office will be here, on the third floor, at the end of the corridor. Class will start in two days. I need you to be in the Great Hall by six o'clock P.M., later if you please. You will work at sun fall, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. You will get lunch and dinner when you wish. That's enough rules for now. "He smiled gently."I believe you would like lunch now. You must be very hungry after this long voyage. "He clapped, and a house elf appeared instantly before him.  
"Yes, sir?"  
"I would like lunch for the lady here. A fine chicken, if you please."  
"Would miss like it roasted, or grilled, or..."  
"She would like it alive." At this, the house elf looked puzzled, then said, "yes sir," and vanished. He came back later with a chicken, and gave it to her. Once she took hold of it, he vanished immediately.  
She looked at Dumbledore, as if embarrassed, but he gave her another gentle smile, and she understood that there were no worries. She opened her mouth, and bared her long canines. Then, she thrust them powerfully, but gently into the chicken's throat, and drank the blood.  
W hen she finished drinking, she said, with a beautiful Russian accent, "thank you for your hospitality. I am well indebted to you, sir."  
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm happy you feel at home here. You have my permission to explore the castle anytime you wish, my lady."  
With that, she left his office, felling that she might actually be able to start a new life, without any unforgiving bloodshed.**

**That's all! Hope you liked it! Reviews please! **


	3. The New DADA Teacher

Hello, third chapter up! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anyone except the vampire and anything that has to do with her past. All other Harry Potter related names etc etc are of JK Rowling's creation... so I don't own them...cries

**The New Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher:**

**The first of September came quickly, with rain just as the day before. Fat drops of rain pounded against the window, heavy, but the train kept on its way to the school. Harry stared out the window longingly, just a few more hours before the train arrives at Hogsmead Station.**

**"What's up mate?" Said Ron, sitting opposite him. "You look like you just woke up or something."**

**"I'm okay, just impatient."**

**"Anyway, Harry, you must stay awake this year," said Hermione. "We've got a difficult year coming up. I'm going to start studying as soon as we get there."**

**"Give it a rest, Hermione!" Said Ron, exasperated. "Come on, Harry. Let's leave her to her studying. We've got Quidditch to play."**

**"Ron, there's more in life than Quidditch, you know. If you don't pass this year, you'll never become an Auror."**

**Ron looked at her indignantly. Hermione answered back his look. **

**"Does anyone want something to eat?" Asked Harry, trying to change the subject.**

**"Sure, I'll take a Chocolate Frog."**

**"Hermione?"**

**"Oh, nothing, thank you."**

**"Be right back!"**

**Harry got out of the compartment and walked in the corridor leading to the lady with the trolley. Then he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks.**

**"Dumbledore's dead."**

**It was Neville's voice from the compartment on Harry's left. He knocked twice and entered.**

**"Neville, did you just say that Dumbledore's dead?"**

**Seeing the frightened look on Harry's face, he laughed and looked at Harry amusingly. Harry, not seeing what was so amusing, walked up to Neville quickly and repeated, "did you just say he was dead?"**

**"He isn't dead, Harry," said Neville. "We were just talking about our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Since Dumbledore has already got us a werewolf and a centaur for teachers, we thought he might have gotten us something worse."**

**Smiling, Harry turned around and left. Dumbledore is too powerful to die from some magical creature, he thought.**

**When he came back, Ron and Hermione were very quiet. Too quiet.**

**"What's going on, guys?" Asked Harry.**

**They looked at him, embarrassed, then Hermione spoke.**

**"Nothing."**

**"Yeah mate, nothing," said Ron, turning slightly red.**

**Harry, thinking that Ron actually got the courage to tell Hermione how much he liked her, said loudly, "erm, you know, I could get you two something else … if you want."**

**"No, no, Harry, it's ok really," said Hermione anxiously. She spoke a bit too loud and fast for a situation like that. Harry sat next to Ron and told them what Neville thought about the new teacher. Ron was the first to react.**

**"Do you think it could be a veela? That would be nice."**

**"Yeah, if you're ready to make a fool of yourself again," said Harry, giggling slightly.**

**"Harry, don't remind me, just when I forgot all about it," said Ron, his ears red.**

**"What are you two talking about?" Asked Hermione**

**"I'll explain later," said Harry.**

**"No you wont, Harry," said Ron. He turned to Hermione, "nothing at all happened, ok?"**

**"You two are really incredible…"**

**The Sorting Ceremony went pretty fast, with a couple of new Ravenclaws, three Slytherins, five Gryffindores, but mostly hufflepufs. The feast came and went, and everyone was full of delicious Hogwarts food. Professor Dumbledore stood up to make his usual start of term speech, and received immediate attention.**

**"Welcome to you all! We start yet another year of magical education. There are new spells to be learned, more quiddich to be played, and mostly, a new teacher to introduce. She is Lady Agnieska Vankopelhaggend who came all the way from Transylvania to teach you her knowledge of defense against the dark arts. Milady." A beautiful woman stood up. Everyone applauded politely as she looked around at the students. Harry could see that her magnificent gray eyes were looking at his direction. She gave him a small smile and sat down.**

**"Now, I would like to remind you all that the forbidden forest is strictly off limits to all, and I mean all, students. Our caretaker Argus Filch has complete authority to do the necessary if someone is to break the rules," continued Dumbledore. At this statement, everyone looked around at him, an incredible look on their faces. Filch would surely torture them to death. "Now that everyone is full and cozy, off you go!"**

**Everyone got to their feet and headed to their common room. Hermione went off to lead the first years while Harry and Ron had another look at their new teacher. "Cute, isn't she?" Said Ron, smiling.**

**"Well, we'll see how cute she is when we fail our first test," said Harry. That seemed to get Ron back down to earth. They made their way up the Grand staircase and through the portrait hole. They got into the warm four poster bed and said no more. Harry was too occupied thinking about tomorrow. He wanted to know more about that mysterious woman. Ideas went through his head one by one and slowly transformed into dreams. Before he knew it, it was morning.**

**Hope you liked it! Fourth chapter coming right up!!! **


	4. Sectum Acromantus

**Hey, everyone! Next chapter up!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any characters in this story apart from the plot and the vampire.**

**Sectum Acromantus:**

**The watery sun was bright against the slightly grey sky. Harry Got up and pushed his glasses onto his nose. He looked around and noticed Ron was awake too.**

**"Good Morning, Ron," whispered Harry. All the other boys were fast asleep. Ron also answered quietly, and they both got up and quickly got dressed then headed to the Great Hall. Hermione was already at the Gryffindor table, her nose buried in a book that, as Harry could see, was about seven thousand pages at least.**

**"Good morning, Hermione," said Harry, not expecting an answer. He sat down and grabbed a piece of toast. Buttering it and adding marmalade. The Great Hall was slowly filling up, and by the time Harry, Ron and Hermione had finished their breakfast the Gryffindor table was full. Professor McGonagall got up from the Teachers' table, a stack of papers in one hand. She slowly walked around their table, stopping by each student to hand them out their timetable. As she stood next to Hermione, she tapped her softly on the shoulders. Hermione jumped and looked up with red eyes.**

**''My goodness, Miss Granger," Said Professor McGonagall. "You should get more sleep. It's not good for you to start your year looking that tired. Here's your timetable," she said, handing each one their schedule. "Good luck." With that, she headed toward Neville a few feet away. As soon as Harry got his, he started looking for his Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. He looked during the whole day, and only found them starting at seven o'clock in the evening in the dungeons. When he looked up, he saw a funny expression on Ron's face.**

**"Why's our lesson after dinner?" He asked. Harry shrugged. He knew there was something odd about their new teacher, but he never thought it had to do with lessons being taught at night. She looked so young, but her eyes showed experience far more than any girl he knew her age. He looked around at the staff table, and noticed she wasn't there, either.**

**He waited for Ron to finish his bowl of porridge and then the trio left the Great Hall, heading to transfiguration. Today, they were supposed to turn rats into eagles. As Always, Hermione was the only one who was able to make a perfectly beautiful golden eagle out of her skinny brown rat. Professor McGonagall was impressed, seeing Hermione's terrible state, and awarded her thirty points.**

**The rest of the day went fast, to Harry and Ron's pleasure. Before they knew it, they were at the Great Hall, having dinner. Harry looked up at the staff table, hoping to see their new teacher, and spotted her. She was sitting next to Snape, eating nothing but what seemed to be raw meat and drinking a glass of oddly scarlet wine. **

**"I didn't know teachers drank wine at dinner," said Harry. Ron had an answer to that. "Maybe she only drinks wine, like how Moody only drinks from his bottle. Maybe they're being hospitable. She isn't from England, so they probably want to make her feel at home."**

**Honestly Ron," said Hermione, speaking to them for the first time today. "Neither Karkaroff nor Madam Maxime drank wine here at Hogwarts. I don't think it's wine." She glanced at the staff table and went a little pale. "I think it's blood."**

**Harry looked at Hermione, not believing what she had just said. No human would drink blood like that. "I think you read too many books, Hermione. You should get more sleep," he said, smiling. Hermione rolled her bloodshot eyes and got back to her book, covering her face. Harry got up and stretched, feeling a bit sleepy from the dinner he just ate. He had to stay awake, though. The next lesson was the one he'd been waiting for all day.**

**They headed down to the dungeons, and noticed a door opposite their Potions classroom door. They also noticed Malfoy and a bunch of Slitherins standing there.**

**"Well, well, well, if it isn't Potty, the know-it-all Mudblood and the poor little weasel. Turns out this year is going to be too difficult for your little heads, even for her," Malfoy jerked his head toward Hermione, a smirk on his pale pointed face, the others snickering behind him. Harry pushed his hand in his pocket, grasping his wand when the door behind Malfoy creaked open. Malfoy jumped and turned around. The room was empty. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then entered the classroom. It was dark and cold, made of hard stones just like their potions classroom. It was circular, with just enough individual desks for each of them, with a candle lighting each one, the only source of light. A big black desk made of hard wood was placed in front of them at the end of the room. Behind that desk was a black chair and endless darkness. They entered and took a seat, Hermione at the front, with a determined look on her face.**

**"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts." A clear, enchanting, cold voice filled the room like a soft Romanian melody. Everyone shivered as it passed over them like a frozen breeze, soft as roses, cold as death. Agnieska walked into the light appearing behind Neville. He jumped violently as she put a cold white hand on his shoulder, passing next to him. She moved between the small wooden tables elegantly, he beauty paralyzing everyone in the room. She stopped at the front of the room and turned, her desk behind her, looking at everyone with great ride. A ghost of a smile passed over her face as she looked at Harry, and then she began to speak.**

**"As you might already know, this year is the most difficult year in your history of magical education to date." Her Soft voice enchanted everyone, grasping their attention like a deep hypnosis. "However, I will not help you to prepare for your NEWTs. What you will learn in this room, only few wizards know. I wish to share this experience with you, to help you defend ourselves in difficult times. At her last words, her eyes shined in an odd way. Hermione raised her eyebrows.**

**"Tonight, we will fight a most dangerous beast. Acromantulas are of extreme difficulty to fight off. The only part of its body that is vulnerable enough is its legs. However, they are very rapid and are almost impossible to aim at. Nevertheless, there is a spell you may use to cut its legs, and that need on precise aiming. You will thus stop it from moving, making it easier to kill without any harm." Ron gulped. He looked as though he'd rather be fighting the Devil's Snare than to be in the same room with an Acromantula. Agnieska didn't seem to be bothered, though. He just smiled reassuringly at him.**

**"We Will not be fighting Acromantulas just yet. We'll start with tarantulas first." Ron didn't seem any better, and he whimpered as she headed to her desk. She bent down behind it and straightened, a big box in her hands. She placed it on her desk and opened it, putting a hand inside. As she took it out, a huge tarantula was perched on her forearm. She then walked to Ron's table and placed it before him. Ron pushed his chair back until it bumped against Parvati's desk behind him. Noticing his fear, The teacher bent down toward him, her face close to his, their noses almost touching. She smiled to Ron, and whispered something only he could hear. He seemed to calm down for a second, before a flash of white light appeared on the table and the tarantula fell down, its legs thrown all over Ron's books and their blood splattering him. Agnieska didn't move, even though Ron seemed even more scared now that he had tarantula blood all over him. Her eyes were shining oddly again, and her nose flared. She was staring at a small drop of blood on Ron's right cheek. Her eyes blackened completely and her tongue crept out of her mouth heading towards Ron's blood stained cheeks. She blinked and suddenly got up, a disturbed look on her face. With a flick of her wand the blood was gone. She walked quickly and swiftly to her desk, breathing fast, and extracted a vial with a deep purple liquid inside. She took a sip, closed the vial and placed it on her desk. She walked to the front of the class, her face dark and cold. **

**"I'm sorry about that, Mr. Weasly. If you could please tell the rest of the class what I told you." Ron looked at her for a moment, then muttered what he had heard. "Se-Sectum Acromantus." Agnieska smiled again. "Sectum Acromantus. This is a powerful incantation to cut off an Acromantula's legs. For Your homework, practice the spell on any spider you meet. I'll get you an Acromantula for next week, so you'd better learn the spell well."**

**Just then, the bell rang. "Be off, class dismissed," she said, a small smile on her face. Everyone got up to leave. Harry was still staring at the teacher as she took the spider off Ron's desk and placed it in the box on her desk. His book slipped out of his hand, and as he took it and got up, she was gone. He went to the door and left the classroom. Ron still looked a little shaken, but Hermione had a triumphant look on her face.**

**"What?" Asked Harry. "I know why he's scared, but what's up with you?"**

**"Isn't it obvious, Harry?" Exclaimed Hermione, smiling widely. "The whole lessons being at night thing, liking blood, and uncommon beauty? Harry, she's a vampire. Didn't you see her teeth?"**

**"Well, no. What about you?" He turned to Ron, but he just said, "She was amazing!" Hermione rolled her eyes and kept walking. Harry didn't want a fight to start, so he quickly started talking about Quidditch. He was scared to tell Hermione how he felt about the teacher. Something was very odd about her, how her eyes shined as she talked of Voldemort's rise to power. Images of her filled his head and his heart seemed to freeze as her eyes swept over him. **

**Harry was keen on getting to his dormitory and he was getting tired already. He wondered just how hard this year would be as he climbed the staircase to Gryffindor tower. He sighed. He hoped he'd make it through the exams, or at least through his favorite subject.**

**That's all, everyone! Please post your opinions. **


	5. Night Stroll

Hey all! Back with a new chapter here! Much longer than usual, but also full of new events, so I couldn't make it shorter. Hope you enjoy it!

***

5. Night Stroll

Agnieska was sitting in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, a candle lit at the edge of her desk as she wrote a short letter. It was addressed to the slayers that had informed her of an attack on her house back in Romania. Of course, she had left the very night she received that letter, and had no time to answer back to their threats. Now, sitting safely in Hogwarts, she had all the time she needed. Her answer was this:

_My most feared enemies,_

_I wish to inform you that I am no longer a resident of the Carpathian Mountains. I had to leave the very night I had received your letter. I wish to apologize to you for our missed encounter, but I had to live up to my duty as a vampire, which is to live in a community that fears vampires, yes, but that doesn't reject them, and even more, doesn't slay them. I would have been happy to give you a proper welcome, but I must say that luck was most gentle upon you. It's completely unnecessary to try to look for me. You won't be able to know of my whereabouts from anyone, not even the owl. I made sure of that._

_If you wish to take hold of my possessions in my quarters in Bran Castle then please do. I took my most prized possessions and have left nothing there I would regret losing. However, I must warn you. I have made sure to curse many of the most valuable objects you will find there. Unless you absolutely must, try not to touch anything unless you wish to suffer the consequences._

_Another thing you must know. All the guards know about your raid on the castle, and the will do nothing to stop you. Please do not think of me as a generous person, I would be too honored. However, try not to hurt any innocent people, as is your habit. I believe you've slain more humans than you have vampires. I ask you not to harm any more._

_I thank you for the unforgettable times we had together, and wish you the best of luck in pursuing your quest against me._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Agnieska VanKopelhaggend _

After signing the letter, she folded it neatly and placed it in an envelope, sealing it with the Dracula coat-of-arms. She got up, and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her and left the dungeons. The corridors were empty on the way to the owls. As he stepped in, all the owls stopped hooting immediately and looked down at her suspiciously. Agnieska sighed. She had that effect on animals. They all seemed to think she was going to bounce on them suddenly and devour them.

She looked for an owl that seemed to be strong enough to fly all the way to Romania and back, no matter how much time it took. She wasn't pressing the matter at all. Her black eyes flashed as she spotted an owl looking light and strong. She smiled and looked into its eyes, then raised her left arm towards it. It stared down at her, not budging from its place. Agnieska closed her eyes and shook her head. This wasn't going to work.

"Are you coming or not?" She asked it and it turned its head the other way, looking indignant. Agnieska knew it didn't want to go all the way to Romania. "I understand it's going to be a long flight, but people's lives are in danger. You can take your time, but you must be there in a week's time. I know you could do it."

The owl looked at her and spoke in its thoughts. "Lives in danger? I wonder what your kin have done this time. Be as it may, I will take the letter, but I cannot promise you a week's time before I arrive." Vampires are fully capable of hearing the animal's thoughts, though the Human's brain needs more effort due to its superior complexity.

"Is ten days good?" She asked in her thoughts. She made her thoughts look desperate, and the owl looked down at her. "I suppose it is."

"Thank you. I promise you will be nurtured upon your arrival." With that, the owl fluttered down towards her and held out its leg for her to attach the letter. It then took off reluctantly through the dark midnight sky. All that was left for her to do was to find a way to get an Acromantula for the following sixth year lesson. She thought a trip to the Care of Magical Creatures teacher would help her to find out where they live. Of course, before that, she'd have to ask permission to bring such a dangerous creature into the castle.

Agnieska left the owlry and headed to Dumbledore's office. Walking through the castle corridors, images of her pas flashed through her mind. She was born in the Transylvanian royal family, great grand-daughter of Count Dracula. Everyone was convinced he was a vampire, of course. He never was. He was the first vampire of her kind in the family, bitten and raised by a travelling vampire, Rasler. He took her to safety when the castle was under attack and became her father and lover. Her mind aged as time passed, death preserving her sixteen-year-old body for hundreds of years. A slayer attack killed Rasler, her only family, and she vowed to avenge him. Ever since, she has been on a search for a sign of these slayers. She came back to live in Bran Castle, since she was the only heir, and took on her search from there. That was when she heard that that this gang of slayers had moved to England. In her lust for revenge, she looked for a way to go to England and saw the announcement Dumbledore had published in the Daily Prophet asking for a new DADA teacher. She applied for the job and got it. She didn't think Dumbledore had no idea of her true intentions, yet he must have thought that she was a good asset to the school so he could let a dangerous vampire teach.

She arrived at the gargoyle and spoke the words "chocolate frogs". The gargoyle sprang to life and opened the wall behind it revealing a set of spiral stairs. She stepped onto the stairs and was lifted to Dumbledore's office door. She tapped lightly, heard Dumbledore's voice beckoning her in, and opened the door. The office was just the same as when she had come here for an interview a few weeks ago. Dumbledore was also sitting in exactly the same position as before, fingers of both hands crossed before his mouth, his blue eyes peering at her from over his half-moon spectacles. As soon as he caught sight of her he got up, smiling brightly, and opened his arms wide.

"Why hello, Professor VanKopelhaggend! What brings you to my office this beautiful evening?" He motioned to the chair at the front of his desk as she walked towards him, smiling in turn. She took a seat, looking down at her knees as Dumbledore moved to his seat himself and sat in the same position as before. "Would you like a brandy?" He asked flicking his wand. Two crystal cups and a bottle of brandy soared out of a cupboard and served brandy to both, then set themselves on the table between them. Dumbledore took a sip then turned to Agnieska. "So what can I do for you?" He asked pleasantly, looking deeply in her eyes. She knew he would use Legilimency on her, as he had during her interview. She set her eyes on her cup and answered "I've come to seek permission to bring in a baby Acromantula into the school."

Dumbledore's eyes stayed on her for a while and then he asked "and might I ask why you wish to bring such a dangerous creature into a school full of young students that can't yet protect themselves?" His voice was stern, but he was surprised at how forward her proposition was. It was as if she were talking about giving the students a tour of the grounds. It seemed to be such a natural thing for her to ask, she didn't even seem embarrassed to endanger such a large amount of innocent beings.

Agnieska picked up her glass and swirled the liquid in it. "I need an Acromantula to teach the seventh years how to use the spell to counter them. I gave them practical homework, but I believe it isn't enough to practice such a spell on mere spiders. Acromatulas have a certain amount of magical defense, and the students need to know how to get through it and to attack it correctly."

"I'm sorry Miss Agnieska, I can't allow an acromantula to get into the castle. I believe you've heard of the incident fifty years ago? A student was expelled because he had endangered the school using a dangerous creature. I cannot allow anyone to bring in any more dangerous creatures into the school. You can imagine the panic the staff would be in." He looked deeper into her eyes and she felt him boring into her mind. She immediately shielded herself. She didn't mind before, but now, it was becoming seriously annoying.

She smiled pleasantly, and nodded, "I understand, Headmaster. I'm sure I can find another way that wouldn't endanger students for no reason. I apologize for making such a demand, it must sound completely senseless." She added innocently, looking slightly concerned.

"Oh I've heard many more senseless things in my life, my lady," He answered, smiling in return. They both got up, she bowed and left the room.

Agnieska strolled lightly through the corridor, sweeping past the Great Hall and through the Great oak doors. She needed some air to get her mind back in order. She was slightly concerned about what had happened. She had gotten to the point where she didn't mind risking the lives of innocent children just to achieve what she had planned. Yes, it must have been Durmstrang that did this to her. She had been one of the rare students to have encountered Durmsrang himself. He was the founder of Durmstrang Academy of Magic. As much as he loved the school, his prime concern was to make the students feel constantly threatened to die at any moment. Of course, in Romania at the time many wizards would use magic to get their bitter way. It was almost a necessity for students to be able to feel a nearing threat and to have a reflex of defending themselves at any moment. The dueling club was the most popular after-school activity, far more popular than Quidditch was here.

Of course, with this atmosphere, students learned to feel that death was imminent, and that the risks they could take in life were endless. They thought that it didn't matter what they did, they were going to die in the end anyway. This made them reckless; they didn't mind risking the lives of others or their own lives just to get what they want, and if someone were to die in the process it was just their "luck". This was Durmstrang's teaching.

Agnieska sat under the magnificent willow at the edge of the black lake. The half-moon was high in the sky, its light brighter than the any stars surrounding it, reflected onto the water still as glass. She smiled as she contemplated the grounds. These students were very lucky to have such a view, and such a huge castle. Durmstrang's grounds were vast and the castle was quite small, yet the weather was almost never clear as it was tonight in Hogwarts.

A little bird ruffled its feathers in its sleep on the branch over her. The scent of it made her dizzy. She had gotten very thirsty in such a little time, and the potion Professor Snape has been giving her to diminish her lust made her control herself by feeling weak at the scent of blood. It wasn't the best solution, but it did keep her from killing students and any other animal and made her drink only the blood of what has been given to her in her plate at dinner. Tonight, she felt a greater lust for blood than ever since she had arrived. It must have been the nice weather that made her optimistic. She got up and peered at the bird on the branch, her eyes becoming slightly lighter and twinkling. Her lips trembled and her tongue moistened them slowly. She definitely wanted this bird alive. She had been giving no sign of movement, and then suddenly she jumped, grabbed the bird between her fingers, crushing its weak ribs with her iron grip. It died instantly, almost painlessly. She never liked to make her prey suffer. As she landed she heard a gasp and a thud from behind the tree. Agnieska was alarmed. Had someone seen her? She would be fired for sure if word broke out of what she was. As she stepped lightly around the huge tree, a slender body revealed itself, and a face covered in bushy brown hair.

"Ow…"Hermione sat up, rubbing her arm, an Invisibility cloak spread out under her. She looked up and gasped again, realizing that she had been discovered. Agnieska's eyes were still light from the lust, yet her dizziness hadn't subsided, but worsened from the scent of the bird I her hand. Her eyes were blurry, and for a moment, she couldn't feel her knees and dropped to the floor. Hermione shrieked as this woman fell on top of her, her breathing heavy. Neither could move, one from the whirlwind in her head and the other from the fear. Agnieska finally spoke, "You are Miss Granger, aren't you?"

Hermione was trembling slightly, something that didn't help Agnieska at all. She had never lost control of herself after such a long time, and this abstinence was making her more eager to bite into something warm and soft. Not only that, but the trembling always made the scent stronger. She looked up into the girl's face and saw how frightened she looked. She picked herself up slightly with her arms and rolled to the side, landing on her back. She really needed to drink blood, and she didn't care whose it was. She felt the warm bird still clutched between her fingers and held it hard against her mouth, her fangs biting into its flesh fiercely, making the blood squirt in her face and on her robes. She barely heard Hermione shriek. She drank greedily, letting herself go to all her animalistic instincts.

As soon as the blood was drained from the bird, she turned onto Hermione. She swiftly grabbed her throat and held her against the tree, feeling her wither and gasp for breath under her grasp. She slowly approached her lips to her neck, brushing it softly, opened her mouth and froze. A searing pain broke out in her head. She let Hermione go instantly and clutched her head from the pain, not making a sound. She heard the girl splutter and croak, "Professor?". There must have been a spell set on the potion she had been taking so she wouldn't hurt students. Feeling the lust getting the better of her again, she decided to run as far away from the girl as possible, and head into the Forbidden Forest.

Agnieska ran towards the Forbidden Forest and past the first trees. She could hear the distant wailing of werewolves and the pounding of hooves coming from the many herds of centaurs. She knew she wasn't very safe here in her condition, but hopefully her instincts would kick in if the situation got too tricky. Her steps didn't falter once, but she couldn't run at full speed simply because of her nausea and the force of the curse that had just affected her. She could soon smell Hermione's scent from behind her. _Stupid girl_, she thought. Hermione didn't know what she was getting herself into. Soon enough, the forest was getting darker and she had to slow down to pass through the thick trees. Hermione soon caught up with her and held onto her robes, making her halt.

"What do you want, child?" Spat Agnieska, looking at Hermione, who looked completely out of breath, with loathing. She was going to get herself killed and get Agnieska fired. Now all Agnieska thought about was not losing control and hurting the girl.

"So you really are a vampire? It was obvious when you almost attacked Ron in our Defense against the Dark Arts class this week," said Hermione between sharp breaths. She never kept her eyes off Agnieska, as if analyzing her every movement.

Agnieska let out a single loud laugh at her statement. "What were you hoping for? A fairy princess?" She then frowned again, throwing her that same hateful look as before. "You know, I was always fond of hard-working students. Never have I wanted to see one suffer more than I do now."

This made Hermione take a step back, but she still kept her eyes on her. After a moment's glaring, Hermione screamed out, "I'm not afraid if you!"

"What do you want then?" Agnieska yelled back, smiling savagely. "Do you want me jobless? _Home_less? What do you want to do with this new-found knowledge of my identity? Try to kill me? Why – Why are you following me into the Forbidden Forest you crazy girl?"

This last question made Hermione blush. "I – erm – I just wanted to –…"

"What?"

"I just wanted to know if it really was true, if you were really a vampire. And to make sure you were alright. You didn't look so good."

Agnieska's hands fell to her sides with astonishment, and she ripped the bark off a nearby tree out of frustration. "I can't believe it! You would risk your life and follow a lusted vampire into a place where no one would hear you scream just to be _sure_ of something? Are you _insane_?"

Hermione looked at her feet, stood very still and said, "I promise I won't tell anyone about it." Agnieska sighed and shook her head. "Dear child, I want you to run back where you came and not return. Leave me here to deal with my own issues. When I am feeling better I will return. Now, I beg you, go!"

Hermione looked up at her for a moment, pained, then put the cloak around her and disappeared. Just then, the ground trembled with the pounding of hooves and the bowstrings creaked against the arrows the appearing centaurs held. One centaur of the herd came forward, looking menacingly at Agnieska. "What brings a vampire into our forest?" He asked, pointing at her with his crossbow.

Agnieska looked around at them cautiously. It would have been possible to outrun them if she wasn't so dizzy. However, she had to show extreme diplomacy in talking to them now if she didn't want to see Hermione and her shot to pieces. "I'm sorry I trespassed upon your territory. I had no idea your people lived here."

"Is this true? Why must your kin always lie?" The last word he spoke was met with jeering from the other centaurs.

Agnieska's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" She asked. She knew no other magical creature liked her race, but she wasn't lying. She really had no idea she had gotten into their territory.

The head of the herd looked at the others in mocking disbelief before answering her question. "Do you want us to believe your little friends didn't tell you of our whereabouts?" He then gave her a hard cold look and stepped up to her, his crossbow still pointing at her. He got to her and bent low, bringing his face barely an inch from hers and whispered, "Maybe I should kill you now and avenge those of us you've savaged."

Agnieska looked up at him, her eyes wide. There were others here, other vampires, and they were hunting the centaurs down. She couldn't understand how they had gotten in here, but she knew she had to act fast. "I must tell Professor Dumbledore," she announced to the herd.

The leader looked surprised. "Why would you go tell Dumbledore?"

"Because I'm a teacher at Hogwarts. He'd like to know there are others who were able to breach his magic defenses and enter the school grounds. If you let me go now, I will alert the headmaster at once and we might be able to save the next victim they will choose among you."

Her words had the desired effect. The centaurs moved about nervously, torn between avenging their kind or letting her go and saving the rest of the herd from the vampires.

The head looked around the herd and voiced a unanimous thought among them. "How do I believe you're not tricking us?"

Agnieska looked around and noticed she had absolutely no proof she was a teacher. Then, something hit her as obvious. Hermione was there, obviously putting all her effort in not letting herself get caught. "I have a student here with me. I brought her here to give her special classes on herbs."

Booming laughter sounded from the head centaur, who was clearly convinced no one was with her. "And where is this student of yours?"

"Hermione, please show yourself to the centaurs." Agnieska's voice was firm and decisive, and just after her command Hermione appeared out of nowhere right next to her, alarming the centaurs to the point all arrows were now aimed on her. She moaned lightly and hopped behind Agnieska, hiding herself from their aim as best as she could. Agnieska felt herself get dizzy again at Hermione's touch and moved unnoticeably away from her.

The centaurs all watched the head of the herd now, awaiting his decision. The centaur looked around at them all, and pronounced his sentence coldly by an unsaid consensus. "Go tell Professor Dumbledore of this disaster. Our hopes lie within your grasp, do not let us down." With a last look at them both, he turned and disappeared with the rest of the herd.

Agnieska looked around at Hermione, who had tears rolling down her cheeks and sighed. She never intended to have a student dragged into trouble. She put her arms around the girl's back and under her knees, picked her up, ignoring her squeal of fear, and ran as fast as she could. Hermione was trembling in her arms, yet she didn't make a sound. Agnieska was starting to feel sorry for the girl, but she couldn't slow down. She was wondering whether it was wiser to take her with herself to Dumbledore or to just let her run to her dormitory and ignore the whole story. Obviously, Dumbledore would like to hear the whole story, yet she could get the girl and herself into trouble if he found out about her presence.

Once they were out of the forest, Agnieska let Hermione down and held her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Put your cloak on," she said, then turned and looked at the castle. As soon as Hermione was done fiddling with the cloak and had managed to conceal herself completely, Agnieska picked her up and ran into the castle, up to the seventh floor and stopped in front of the portrait of a sleeping Fat Lady. Hermione hadn't taken her third breath when she found herself being dropped to her feet. Agnieska's mind was made up and she gave her orders. "Listen to me. You will go to your dormitory and ignore this whole story. I will go tell professor Dumbledore about this now. You need not worry."

Hermione took the cloak off quickly and looked up at her, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Why aren't you taking me with you?" She asked.

Agnieska looked away. "We'll be in great trouble if Dumbledore ever found out about what happened with you. If a student is concerned, I would surely be fired. And that's not to mention what would happen to you if it was known that you, the Head Girl, was out of bounds using an Invisibility cloak."

Hermione sighed, shaking her head, confused. After a while, she looked apologetically at Agnieska and voiced "thank you" in a low whisper. Agnieska smiled and walked off quietly, hearing the Fat Lady swinging her portrait aside to let Hermione in. She picked up her pace and arrived at Dumbledore's office. She knocked quietly, and heard the familiar beckoning on the other side of the door. Agnieska swallowed and entered, heading for his desk.

Dumbledore was standing at his window, peering at the moon. He turned towards her, his smile wide as usual. Agnieska didn't wait for welcoming words. "Professor Dumbledore! I must inform you there are other vampires here in the Forbidden Forest."

Dumbledore's expression changed immediately. He looked hard at her and ran towards his desk, grasping its edge. "Where did you get this information?" He asked.

Agnieska walked still towards him and stopped before his desk, answering as quickly as she could. "I was walking into the Forbidden Forest looking for some herbs for my special moon beam collection, since it's the perfect half moon tonight, and I was surrounded by centaurs." Dumbledore's grasp tightened on the desk, while Agnieska continued. "The centaurs told me that some of their kind were found dead, supposedly killed by vampires. When I told them I was not one of them but was a teacher from Hogwarts, they accepted to let me come tell you. I just arrived now."

Dumbledore sat down, looking baffled. He then looked at the portraits hanging around him and asked several to get the rest of the staff. "Something must be done," he said. "We can't let them harm any of our students."

***

There you go! Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review!


	6. Unfortunate Events

A little shorter than the last but this time, action packed! Enjoy chapter 6!

6. Unfortunate events

Harry woke up the next morning well rested, yet nervous. He grabbed his glasses, put them on and looked around at the other four post beds. Ron had apparently woken up before him, because he wasn't sleeping in his bed. Harry frowned. It wasn't like him to wake up earlier than Harry.

Harry left the dormitories and, not finding Ron in the common room, he headed to the great hall. The commotion in the corridors was astounding. Many students were running here and there, and there was someone calling their names at the end of the main seventh-floor corridor. Harry walked to professor McGonagall, who was standing with a long roll of parchment, calling names and pointing her wand at different students. As she caught sight of him, she said, "Potter, over there with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley." He followed her wand's movement and saw them standing next to a statue, looking more nervous than him. He half-ran to them, and they both looked at him and tried to crack a smile without much success.

Slightly frustrated by their silence, he asked, "What's going on?" They looked at each other, making him fold his arms impatiently, and then Hermione whispered, "It's the new DADA teacher."

Harry gave her a quizzical look, and they huddled, Hermione giving him all the details about the past night. Harry's eyes grew wider with every sentence, and his heart raced. So she really _was_ a vampire. How he hadn't noticed before was a wonder to him, but what was even a more perplexing wonder was why his interest in her grew after having confirmed this fact. His face was slightly flushed with excitement, and when Hermione finished her story and looked at him she asked, "Are you ok?"

"Y – Yeah I'm fine," He mumbled hastily in reply and straightened up, looking the other way. Professor McGonagall had successfully managed to get everyone into their house groups and was yelling for quiet. When everyone calmed down, she looked sternly at them all and spoke. "We have received information from the centaurs that a dangerous creature strong enough to kill them on its own is loose in the Forbidden Forest. "

This comment was met with exclamations of fear and whispering among the students. Professor McGonagall raised her hands for silence, and when the commotion ceased she continued. "There is no real need for panic, since you all know that there are many spells surrounding the castle. There are just some new rules that must be implemented to ensure everyone's safety. I trust you are all wise enough to follow those rules. If anyone is seen breaking them, he will either be severely punished or killed by whatever it is that is out there."

"You mean you don't even _know_ what's out there?" A boy from Ravenclaw house exclaimed, an incredulous look on his face. More commotion arose and Professor McGonagall had to yell for it to stop. "Rest assured that no matter what it is, Headmaster Dumbledore will make sure you are all out of harm's way," she said. She then took out a piece of rolled up parchment from inside her sleeve, unrolled it and adjusted her glasses on her nose. "Now, listen closely. All of you are to be within the castle before sundown, and I mean before sundown whether it is before curfew or not. You are not to walk close to the Forbidden Forest, or seek shade under the trees close to it for that matter. If it happens to rain or get very cloudy and dark, you are to return to the castle immediately. All classes will remain on schedule, and nothing will change until further notice." She rolled up the parchment and placed it back in her sleeve. "All the professors are renewing the charms put around the castle grounds, and some new spells have been placed around the castle. Your house passwords will change weekly as an extra precaution. Should you see anyone suspicious lurking around the castle or inside it, you are to report immediately to any staff. You will all have a copy of these rules pinned on the announcement boards in your common rooms. Any questions?"

There was silence for a moment where everyone looked nervously at her then Katie Bell raised her hand and asked "Will there still be Quidditch, Professor?" Professor McGonagall sighed and said "I'm afraid any extracurricular activity done outside the castle walls must be canceled." An outcry of disappointment and anger rose from the Quidditch fans and players, Harry yelling "No way!" along with them. Professor McGonagall yelled through the commotion "If that is all, go to your classes", waited for a few seconds then left when no one seemed to have paid attention to her.

Harry turned back to look at Ron and Hermione, and Ron looked frustrated. "No Quidditch? Now how am I supposed to have some fun during the year? I can't possibly sit and study all the time."

"Well at least you'll study most of the time when you used to study less than half the time," Hermione retorted. "You should be more careful about your grades."

"Whatever," he replied sulkily, then his stomach growled loudly and they all laughed. They needed some breakfast.

The day passed as normally as possible, and by twilight the only difference was Hagrid standing at the great oak doors of the castle making sure they were well locked. The Castle was crowded by six o'clock that evening, and Harry, Ron and Hermione make their way to the Great Hall to have their dinner before retiring for bed. As they entered, Harry made sure to look carefully along the front table. All the professors were there, including the vampire. Now he could see it clearly. The cup of red wine…could it be blood? And that steak on her plate seemed to be cooked very rare, or at least that's what he thought as she sunk her fork in it, making it ooze out a bright red liquid.

Hermione was also looking her way and she snickered. "She thought she could hide it from me," she said. She shrugged and buried her nose in her book.

Ron looked at her then leant towards Harry, whispering. "Is it just me, or do all girls have a serious jealousy problem towards Professor Agnieska?"

Harry shrugged, looking towards the professor. "She is a lot prettier than the prettiest girl in this school," he answered, and they both laughed silently, stopping when Hermione threw them a dirty look over her book.

As they headed back to the common room, Hermione was oddly silent, which encouraged Ron to start picking on her. "I think reading the book is enough for a normal human brain. You don't have to keep thinking about what you just read or your brain's gonna explode. Then again, your brain's never been normal, has it?"

Hermione looked at him absentmindedly, as if she hadn't heard a word he said, and she stopped walking. The other two stopped and stared at her. "I was thinking," she said. "Our new professor has something to do with whatever is going on here. The centaurs even accused her of being one of them. Of course, she had to act all innocent in order to gain their trust and not have herself killed, but I bet she's very well aware of what is going on. She might even be taking part right under Dumbledore's nose."

Harry and Ron looked at her, not believing what she just said. "C'mon, Hermione," said Ron. "You can't be _that_ jealous of her. I think that if she had anything to do with what was going on, she wouldn't be in this castle. Dumbledore wouldn't have taken that chance, you know that."

Hermione looked up at him, slightly frustrated by his impenetrable logic, then she said, "why don't we go ask her, then?"

Harry and Ron shook their heads. Hermione was truly stubborn. They left the corridors and headed towards the dungeons where Agnieska's office was. They knocked on her door three times and waited for an answer, then the door opened. Agnieska was dressed in her hunting gear. She was wearing tight flexible cloth on her body, cut up in a sleeveless shirt and shorts just above the knees. Straps were tied on her thighs and blades were stashed there comfortably and ready for use. The same material covered her hands in fingerless gloves and her calves for protection and better camouflage. Her hair was tied up into a closed ponytail and a hooded cloak was draped over her shoulders.

"Excuse me professor," said Hermione. "Are you going somewhere?" Her voice was questioning and almost reproachful. The vampire raised an eyebrow and moved aside, motioning them to enter. The filed inside and she closed her office door behind them. The room turned cold and dim. She walked to her desk and sat down behind it.

"If my students need me for something, I am not to ignore their request," She replied, smiling, "Whatever it is I have to do can wait." Both the boys blushed lightly and Hermione sighed.

"I'm sure you know why we're here, Professor," said Hermione, her arms crossed. When Agnieska remained silent and politely questioning, an obvious sign she had no idea why they were here, Hermione shook her head and continued, "We know you know what's going on here."

Hermione's blunt attitude surprised them all. Ron whispered, "Hermione!" but she didn't even take notice of this warning. Agnieska blinked at Hermione's accusation and got up. She walked until she was in the middle of the room and turned to face them.

"I have no clue who or what is out there, Miss Granger. I thought I made that clear to the centaurs last night before your very eyes."

"The only thing that was clear, Professor, was that you didn't want to risk your life," Hermione replied. "It's very understandable. I would have lied, too, were I in a life threatening situation."

Agnieska looked like she couldn't believe what was being told to her. _That insolent girl_, she thought, but she kept her calm and replied, "Nothing about last night's situation was life threatening to me, Miss Granger. It was your life I was more worried about. Those arrows would have done you in, but not me. You forget they cannot injure a vampire."

Hermione's eyes widened. She had just been politely lectured, and she had to keep her mouth shut. "Is that all?" Agnieska asked them. Hermione shook her head. "Where are you going?" She asked.

Agnieska tightened the straps on her wrists and answered, "On a mission for the headmaster. I am to investigate the perimeter. Only another vampire can take on one of our kin, if need be. Perhaps they might not fight, seeing as I'm one of them."

"Well then, in that case, we're coming with you," said Hermione. Harry and Ron both gasped and Agnieska crossed her arms, frustration slightly showing on her face now. She had only one retort, "If you get the headmaster's acceptance to join me, then by all means you are welcome. You have an hour, I will not leave later."

Hermione's face brightened as Harry and Ron looked horrified behind her and she got up and nearly ran out the door, the boys following closely behind. They both waved, smiling shakily at their professor, and Agnieska waved back, smiling. Harry's heart skipped a beat.

Ron caught up with Hermione and stopped in front of her, forcing her to stop. "What on earth do you think you're doing?" He asked. "Are you that intent on getting us killed? First you anger a vampire while we're in her office, at her mercy, then you want to take us no an entire horde of them. What's next, setting us on silver plates with red apples in our mouths so we could be their dinner?"

Hermione shook her head, laughing at what he said. "We're not going to be their lunch, Ron. We're going to catch her in the act of negotiating something with the vampires, some sort of conspiracy perhaps, and we'll subdue them and hand them over to professor Dumbledore. Brilliant idea, isn't it?"

"No it's not, Hermione," said Ron desperately. "This is a stupid idea that will get us killed. Do you have any idea how we're going to subdue them? It's like she said, only another vampire can take them on. We're not vampires so we can't take them on. That's that."

"Oh Ron, it's like her words are your Bible, or something. You need to wake up and see the fraud that she is." With that, Hermione, shoved him aside and headed up the stairs and out of the dungeon.

Ron stood there, looking helpless, and said, "She's crazy."

"But she's right," Harry told him. Ron rounded on him with an avalanche of exclamations and worried words, but Harry brushed them off. Right before Agnieska had closed the door, she had mouthed him to come. He didn't tell this to Ron, but he wanted to obey her. He wanted to go, just as she asked. He didn't know why, but something about her beckoning made him feel like everything would be fine. He therefore decided he would do as Hermione wanted and join Agnieska in her quest. Perhaps he could be of some help.

Instead of going to the Headmaster's office, they headed for the common room. They guessed that Professor Dumbledore would never give them permission to go on such a dangerous mission, so they decided they would do as they had always done: hide under the Invisibility cloak. They wrapped it around themselves and crawled out of the Portrait hole, down the grand staircase and into the Entrance Hall. They knew she would be going out from here in a few minutes, and sure enough, they saw her slender form coming up from the dungeon staircase. She walked to the great oak doors of the castle and tapped her wand three times. They hurried as quickly and quietly as they could across the hall and the hid behind the door as she got out. They waited until she tapped the door again and the doors started closing, then they slipped through, hearing the door clang and lock itself up behind them.

They looked out and they saw her walking down the path to the forbidden forest. They walked a distance behind her so she wouldn't hear or notice them. The moon shown bright, covering the stars with its bright beams, seemingly lighting up the universe. Their path was as bright as dim daylight and they felt reassured. They were hidden from view and everything was clear around them. The vampire's hair glimmered and she hooded herself. As soon as they arrived at the forest's end, she disappeared from sight.

They picked up their pace and nearly ran to the forest. There, the darkness was broken with waves of moonlight shining through the trees. They caught glimpses of her cloak. She seemed to be moving much faster than they had anticipated. She looked as though she was walking, but her pace was swift. As they walked on, the trees became more entangled, hiding the moon from sight, and soon enough they were slowed down by the proximity of the trees and the darkness surrounding them. They couldn't help feeling less secure the more they walked, and the fact that they often lost sight of the vampire made them feel lost. Hermione didn't slow down, however. Her determination kept them close behind.

Walking on, the trio saw the vampire standing still. She seemed stiff and alert. They didn't understand why, so they stood just as still, listening. A rustle of leaves met their ears, but it was so light it might have been a slightly stronger wind moving them. They were wrong. Ron was the first to notice. As the vampire stood ahead of them, another vampire was seen standing right behind her for just a second before he disappeared. Ron gasped, and the two others looked where he was looking, seeing the vampire move swiftly from side to side. Sometimes, she disappeared completely from view, and then reappeared holding off a male vampire. They could only see his ragged clothing and shoulder length hair as he tried stabbing Agnieska in the neck with a dagger while she blocked him off with her own dagger. She threw him off and he flipped in the air, landing lightly then disappearing from view again. Hermione's eyes were wide in astonishment and awe. They had never witnessed a sparring between two vampires. They decided to huddle together and wait it out, but that didn't last.

Agnieska was busy with one vampire, but she heard that there were at least two others there. She knew that the children, meaning Harry, Ron and Hermione, were close by, and she prayed they wouldn't get caught in this. They would end up served for dinner if they were seen. She hoped they were well hidden. She had asked Harry to come along because Dumbledore wanted to gain the vampires' trust, and she thought Harry's presence would help convince them. She didn't expect a fight and it was lucky that Harry was out of sight.

The man with the long hair didn't tire of fighting, and she hadn't had such a tough opponent in a while. He was quick and fierce, fighting as if to claim a reward or to save his life. "I don't want to hurt you," she yelled out to him, but he just yelled out a war cry of some sort and ran at her again, this time aiming for her legs. She jumped as he swiped his blade and landed on his shoulders, confusing him, then she jumped off with a force that made him fall face-first into the dirt. She turned until she was upside down then aimed two small throwing knives at him and fired. One sliced his shoulder and the other barely cut a piece of his hair and he grunted, holding the wound. She landed a way behind him and waited, dagger at the ready. He turned, a grimace of anger on his face, and started to charge, but a voice rang out into the forest: "That's enough!"

The man stopped in his tracks and a tall woman appeared from behind a tree. Her hair was silver blond and cut into a squared bob, with a small side swept fringe hovering lightly over her large hazel eyes. She had a pretty face, but it was calm in composure and she walked elegantly to the man, her dark cloak moving silently along her thin ankles. He was breathing heavily, his iris red. Agnieska knew he was going in for the kill. All vampires' eyes turned this crimson color when they were hungry or when they were killing. The woman's call must have been an important one to listen for. He seemed like a very loyal minion if hers.

"I am Lidya, leader and commander of the Crimson Moon. Who are you and what brings you into our territory?" Her voice was clear as crystal, just like Agnieska, and she knew Lidya was of royal blood.

"I am Agnieska, mistress of Transylvania and the last of Dracula's lineage," she answered. The blond woman raised her eyebrows and threw the man a disdained look, then awaited the reply to her other question politely. "I live in the castle owning these grounds. The master of this castle has heard of your presence on his grounds, and he is bothered by your killings of the centaurs and the imminent danger this brings on the inhabitants of these grounds. He wishes you stay clear of this place."

Lidya sighed and walked closer to the woman. "We are not here to disturb. We are here to hide. We heard these grounds were safe and we needed a new headquarters, so we came here seeking sanctuary. The centaurs were only killed for food, not for enmity." Her face bore an apologetic look, but it didn't make her look weak or desperate. It just made her look genuinely sorry for disrupting. She didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.

Agnieska nodded in understanding, not keeping her eyes off them, and continued. "The headmaster wishes that you leave his grounds," she said. The blond woman's look changed into a cold mask of indifference. "He cannot have unknown vampires lurking on his grounds without his permission."

"The Crimson Moon asks for no one's permission," the woman replied coldly. She turned around and started to walk away. Agnieska whipped her wand out and pointed it at the woman. The swish of her wand made the woman halt and turn, a look of outrage on her face.

"So you are a magic user, are you?" She asked. "You are a betrayer of our kin. You do the unforgivable sin of using magic, the human's destructive power. You will pay for your insult."

Agnieska sighed and said, "It was not my intention to-" But the man yelled again and attacked her. She waved her wand and a burst of yellow light came out like a lightning bolt and the man was thrown off his feet, hitting the ground hard and not moving. The woman frowned, and untied the long cloak covering her, letting it slip off her to the floor. Underneath was the most peculiar piece of armor the trio had ever seen. It looked like it was made of black onyx and it was covering the woman's bust, her arms and her legs, leaving the shoulders, hands and feet exposed. She wore an odd pendant down her chest. Agnieska's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"You know what this means, don't you?" The woman asked. Agnieska put her wand away and turned. Vampires of royal blood never attacked someone with their back turned. She started walking away, but a vampire came out of the trees and surprised her, his wand raised at her. Another one came out in the same position, then another. They were all grinning in a way that didn't look good. Agnieska took her wand out, but a simple expelliarmus spell had it flying away. It fell close to the trio as they hid, watching all this happen before them.

Hermione let a hand out from under the cloak and took hold of it. One of the vampires suddenly looked her way and yelled, "Get them!" Within seconds, the trio was surrounded with vampires. There could have been as much as fifteen of them. One of the vampires flicked his wand and the cloak floated up and off the trio.

"Oh, if it isn't The Boy Who Lived," he cackled, and the mob cackled in the same way in a chorus of sick joy. "Get up, boy!" He cried, and Harry got up slowly, cautiously. "Take his friends, Roy!" Ron and Hermione were pulled up to their feet and pulled away. Hermione was whimpering, clutching Agnieska's want tightly and Ron was trying to pull himself out of the vampire's grip unsuccessfully. Agnieska watched as Harry and his friend were discovered and she turned to the woman.

"What is the meaning of this, Lidya?" She asked, but Lidya looked just as frightened and outraged and she was apparently also a target. She stood frozen, muttering "blasphemy" under her breath and looked towards Agnieska for an explanation, but Agnieska just growled in frustration and yelled, "What do you want form us?"

One of them cackled and replied, "Our master needs you. _All_ of you. No exceptions." Ropes blasted out of all the wands and the captives were tied up from their shoulders to their feet. The vampires walked closely to all of them, gave them a good look, and the last words they said of the night was "_Stupify!_" before darkness washed over the captives and they fell unconscious.

There you have it? What will become of the heroes of our story? You're free to give me ideas in your Reviews!


	7. Unexpected Reunion

Hello readers! New chapter is up! It's un expected twist in the story, and probably in Agnieska's fate… Enjoy!

7. Unexpected reunion

Agnieska opened her eyes slowly and painfully. Her vision was blurred at first, but it cleared up as she lifted herself off the cold stone floor. She looked around, trying not to move her sore neck. She was in a dark cellar. Only a trapdoor was visible above her head thanks to the feeble moonlight penetrating the thick darkness where she lay. Sitting down, she could see that she wasn't alone. All those who were captured with her were also laying there unconscious but one. Lydia was the only one who was awake. She was sitting in the corner of the cellar, her body hidden behind a screen of white light. Agnieska could see her eyes shining in the darkness, and she turned around to sit across from her and to see her. She was still wearing that protective armor, and a scowl.

"Do you have an explanation for this situation we're in right now?" She asked. Agnieska shook her head. She had no idea what had just happened. All she knew was what she saw. They were surrounded by magic-using vampires that attacked them, captured them and cursed them. Now they were in a cellar with no way out. Agnieska felt for her wand, but she didn't find it. She didn't find another very important possession of hers, either. The potion Professor Snape had given her to control her desire for human blood was gone. She swallowed nervously and brought her knees to her chin. They could do nothing but wait.

Not long after Agnieska had awakened, Harry stirred. He opened his eyes and saw Ron and Hermione lying down beside him. He jumped up, his heart beating fast and he yelled, "Ron! Hermione! Wake up!" He shook them fiercely and they moaned. They woke up, frightened and Hermione spoke first in a slow mumble. "Where are we?" She asked.

"I don't know," said Harry, looking around. His eyes fell on his professor and his heart quickened. She looked oddly beautiful in such a cold, damp cellar. Her body was sucking up the moonlight, making her pale skin glow lightly in her dark clothes. Her long, dark hair spread behind her in a black cascade and her fine hands were wrapped around her elbows as she laid her head on her knees, her face turned towards him. She smiled a feeble smile and he couldn't help but smile back. Hermione noticed and got up suddenly, scaring Harry out of his trance and making Ron duck for cover.

"This is all your fault!" She yelled at Agnieska. Lydia giggled lightly at that, making Hermione gasp in surprise. She hadn't noticed Lydia was there. "I can't help but agree with the girl, traitor," Lydia said. Her blond hair flashed in the dark with her eyes as she picked her head up from off her knees. Agnieska sighed. This was no time to get into a fight. They were three vampires and three children in one cellar, and they had to get along. If accepting the blame they placed on her was going to keep everyone peaceful then she should just do so. They needed to find a way out as soon as they could.

"They took our wands, Harry," Ron said, looking up at them, his eyes wide. Agnieska got up and looked above her head. "We only have two exists from here," she said. "We can either escape from this trapdoor or we can get out through that window." Agnieska pointed at the window far above them behind Lydia.

"How on earth are we gonna do that? We can only levitate things with wands, and we currently don't have any," said Ron. He looked completely hopeless and his shoulders drooped as he looked down at his knees. Agnieska felt a singe of pity in her chest. Those three would surely die if they remained here much longer. She doubted Lydia and her stronghold on traditions would let them live if she got hungry. They were also most probably surrounded by vampires standing guard at the trapdoors, and they might need a snack. She couldn't even keep her own self calm without Snape's potion. She remembered how she had lost control in front of Ron and had almost attacked him. It was bound to happen again unless they found a way to exit this cellar before hunger struck the vampires.

Hermione clicked her tongue in impatience and started walking around the cellar, he hands touching every part of the walls they could reach. The group watcher her as she toured the cellar three times, each time her attempts more furtive and neglectful.

"You won't find a way out like this," said Agnieska. Hermione turned sharply, her eyes wet, shaking with anger.

"How will we get out, then?" She yelled, outraged. The force of her voice shook the cellar and Harry felt a deep and painful surge of guilt. He complied when he didn't have to. He blindly followed Hermione's stupid wish and agreed to get them all in danger. Why did he have to listen to her? Why did he have to get tempted by Agnieska? Why did she even tell him to come if she knew this might have happened?

The trapdoor shook, making damp dust fall onto the ground below. Hermione moved out of the way quickly, tripping and falling helplessly as something was lowered into the cellar. It was a person surrounded by a kind of glass bubble. This person floated down slowly and stopped a ways above them. They looked up and saw a tall man with a wide build, dressed in a long brown coat and matching brown pants. His clothes were shabby, but his face was not. It was as young as 20, with light grey eyes and shoulder length brown hair. His complexion was pale, but he looked very healthy and stronger than an average body builder.

As the man decended, Agnieska stepped backwards. The man looked familiar, but she couldn't tell if she knew him or not. He was standing at an angle that didn't show his face. She walked around the bubble, behind the group that was gazing up at the newcomer, and his face was revealed to her. Her eyes widened and she dropped to her knees. The thud her body made when she hit the ground caught the boys' attention and they ran towards her, worried. She was sitting on her knees, her eyes tearful and wide in disbelief, staring up at the man. As Harry got closer and noticed the look on her face, he knew that man was trouble.

Ron quickly reached out for Agnieska to hold his hand and get up, but she quickly pushed him away. The scent of his skin made her head turn and her nose sharpen for the smell of blood. _Why would they take away the potion?_ She thought. Ron frowned in disappointment and backed off, seeing her hold her hand up to her nose.

Lidya saw everything that happened, and judging by the look Agnieska was giving that man, she spoke in a confident voice. "Traitors will be traitors," she said. "You _do_ know what is going on here after all, don't you, you filthy scum!" Her voice was harsh and inelegant for the first time. She seemed to be very angry at the situation.

"You don't know why you were brought here," spoke the man. His deep, purring voice caught the attention of everyone. Agnieska even seemed to be under a spell. "Agnieska, it has been so long." The spell broke, and her head fell, tears dripping onto her closed knuckles. She couldn't believe it. He was alive.

Lydia threw Agnieska the dirtiest look she could muster and turned to the man, her pin-straight hair shining dangerously. "I don't know why I am here but I demand that you release me and Jurgen at once!" The man she was with walked to her side and held his head high and his shoulders wide and protective. The man in the bubble looked down at them and started to float back up. "Where do you think you're going?" Asked Lydia, running towards him and watching him rise above her head through the trapdoor. Agnieska looked up in time to see a part of his coat disappear through the trapdoor.

A few seconds later, a couple of vampires armed with wands hopped down from the trapdoor. Agnieska stood her face hard. Harry, Ron and Hermione took a few steps back, frowning in menace, ready to attack them if the vampires were to do anything. Lydia's companion stood tall in front of her, shielding her from attack. One of the vampires shook his head.

"You think we're here to kill you?" He threw a laugh out that rang in the cell. "Our leader just told me to let you guys go." A loud bang sounded, making everyone gasp, and they were all bound in ropes again. The vampires then walked to each one and tapped their heads lightly. A white light came out of their wands and enveloped the hostages within a bubble. The vampires then stood a ways away from the group and waved their wands, lifting everyone into the air. They ascended slowly, and one by one they rose through the trapdoor.

As each person landed on the hard wooden floor above the cellar, their levitation bubbles popped and the ropes untied themselves and disappeared. Agnieska looked around as everyone sighed with relief at the freedom. Lydia looked annoyed at the informal treatment, while Harry, Ron and Hermione brushed themselves off, their faces calmer, looking eager to leave this place. Agnieska's eyes soon found what she was looking for. He was leaning over a table lit by a gas lamp, his hands grasping the edge of the table, his shoulders tensed.

She remembered this pose. She had seen it often on her travels with him. After being hunted down like animals, he would take out a piece of parchment and quickly sketch every slayer's face he saw. He would then lay all those sketches out on the table and lean over them, scrutinizing them to the light of a gas lamp. Looking at him, it was as if nothing had changed.

"Rasler," she whispered. She walked to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw her. His eyes softened and he smiled.

"Quite a surprise, eh?" He asked. What met him as not a smile, but a slap right across the face. Agnieska's eyes were wide, angry and streaming with tears.

Harry heard the slap sound and looked up. The man looked confused at his professor's action. Harry, astonished, turned to look at Ron and Hermione. They both looked just as confused as Rasler was. Ron was even half smiling. Lydia shook her silver haired head disapprovingly as her bodyguard growled.

"I thought you died," she said in a low hiss. "I lived for fifty years, tracking down those slayers who I thought had killed you. I left my home and my people to avenge you. Now you stand before me, smiling like everything was alright from the start. How cold could your heart be?"

Agnieska turned around and stormed off. Her entire body was shaking with emotion. She couldn't tell how she felt anymore. She was angry at her loss, at all her effort to grieve her lost father and lover for nothing, and all those lives lost for a void vengeance. She was happy at her reunion with the man she loved, relieved at the fact that he was alive. She was regretting ever having fallen for this man, who brought her to this life and this end, only to abandon her and have her suffer for no reason. She reached the door and got out into the night, the moon's light shining on the dewy trees. She took a deep, cool breath, letting it calm her, then she exhaled all her thoughts into it. Having a second of calm, she understood. She needed to know why she was brought here first, then she needed to figure out how she could get those kids out of this hut crawling with soon-to-be hungry vampires. With her potion taken, she had no clue when hunger will strike her. If it does, there will be no saving them. She turned back to the hut and walked in. This was going to be a long night.

Next chapter coming soon! What will be Agnieska's decision, and will she be able to save Harry and the others? Don't forget to review!


End file.
